[windowwashers]

After the last 2 months from hell, I am now ready to move forward again.
What are you guys doing to beat the credit munch on your business.

looking for some positive thoughts here, have had it with bad thoughts of late.

Time to move you with business.....

[wightsurf]

HI Ian
I'm buying another round in a month or so , off a friend. So I'm thinking if i do lose any due to the credit crunch i will be over loaded anyway.
Also have some bigger jobs due, schools hotels etc which are bonus jobs which i fit into my round when they are due.
I'm still getting new custies, 4 this week  I take as much as i can on . Rather to much than not enough.

[Rob_Mac]

Ian

Good to see you back - any news on those projects we went to have a look at??

We have Yellow Pages adverts going into the new book in both commercial cleaning and drain jetting sections. Never used YPs before so this should be interesting.

Have works starting in Bath at the end of the month and then maidstone in March so these should keep us busy.

Have already started another residential round and am getting some good interest from the leaflets.

I think as we approach and are going through difficult times it is always good to diversify and have more than one option of revenue!!

Rob

[windowwashers]

Ian

Good to see you back - any news on those projects we went to have a look at??

We have Yellow Pages adverts going into the new book in both commercial cleaning and drain jetting sections. Never used YPs before so this should be interesting.

Have works starting in Bath at the end of the month and then maidstone in March so these should keep us busy.

Have already started another residential round and am getting some good interest from the leaflets.

I think as we approach and are going through difficult times it is always good to diversify and have more than one option of revenue!!

Rob

No news back from them Rob, I personally think they was wasting our time, but you never know.

it is nice to read how others are doing other things and moving on, I have picked up a few commercials which is all good, domestics are my next target, also gutter cleaning I am going to push more to get funds in and recoup my losses in december. also more staff but that cant wait for a while.

[Blue Sky 2]

Hi Ian,

we spoke some time ago re gutter cleaning job you wanted a price on. Any news.

Ta

Sean

[chris@c.m.s]

My goals this year are to, have a website built with online payments,
double my domestic round and break into small commercials, nursing homes ect, and hopefully put a second van on the road, oh and fit a holiday in there somewhere good to see you posting again.   
 

[Ian Rochester]

What credit crunch?

Just keep doing what you're doing, do it well for the right price and people will stay with you.

We have picked up 24 new window cleaning jobs since the new year and only lost two, one for moving and one for dying!

[bluez]

Hi Ian,
Good to see you back, I am doing three things to try and come out the other side of the credit crunch.

1. Cutting all non essential outgoings ruthlessly

2. Marketing furiously (only low cost marketing like shop posters, texting via free text, staff who want to generate more work leafleting, business cards dropped everywhere etc)

3. Spreading the areas that we cover (thinking behind this is that I will lose customers in my existing areas so to try to stand still I will have to extend the area even though it will be less profitable due to travel).

I am also being a bit more reasonable on my terms and prices, basically I am turning no one away if they have cash but being selective if it is account work.

Dont know if these actions will get me over the line and I am reading the posts on this thread with interest to see if anyone comes up with some good ideas.

[ducky]

i was looking on allclean aite and they were saying that london is the worst hit by contracts going b-monthly and quartly. up here in scotland it is not that bad yet. still a lot of work out there.

[dai]

I really believe that there are good opportunities out there, if anyone is prepared to work on a dial a clean basis.
Some customers don't want to commit to a monthly clean, but they will want them doing now and again.
Of course this type of work will command a much higher price.
 I really think there's a gap in the market for this kind of service, a handy add on to go with your regular cleans.

[DASERVICES]

Hi Ian,

There is nothing I can really say as there are no words that can express the time you have been through but we sometimes have to banish all negative thoughts otherwise it will drag us down. Good to see you getting back on track again.

Going forward what can I say my head is in a spin. Too many things on the go. The biggest issue I have found is not the lack of work as there is loads of work which I am passing onto others but how to get your customers to accept yearly price increases. All this talk of credit crunch is doing no good, my cost of living is going up but not my income so that needs to change. I am not in this job to work seven days a week it needs to provide me a comfortable life which at present is starting to bite. One of the biggest obstacles in Scotland is the weather which has been the worst in the last several months. So on a personnel point I need to re-shape my business with the current climate conditions.

The SLWCN is now becoming massive with my time also being taken up with Council meetings so this is another issue to be addressed. The signs are very encouraging so this is something I cannot afford to let slip as our members are dependant on this working which it will. And note the time and date with these words I am about to say " The SLWCN will be bigger than the FED by the end of the year and don't be surprised if once this project is completed Councils across the border don't be surprised if they start taking an interest "

My objectives this year are.

1) Spend more time with my family
2) Change my business format to suit current conditions
3) Bring the SLWCN into an leading worldwide organisation and have one of the leading business schemes that benefit all licensed window cleaners.

And lastley to bow out of forums, going to have to do it.

Cheers

Doug

[ducky]

hi doug why not get workers to do it for .

[windowwashers]

Hi Ian,

we spoke some time ago re gutter cleaning job you wanted a price on. Any news.

Ta

Sean

Have called them a few times, I have your details should they call back Sean.


Thank you everyone for kind words.

Anyone feel free to post positive thoughts of going forward. it is good for the mind to have nice positive thoughts and feeling.

[Clive McDonald]

Life would be very tedious if it was all sunshine. It needs the other bits, even the misery to give it texture. Had you been born a prince think how much would you have missed.

[windowwashers]

Life would be very tedious if it was all sunshine. It needs the other bits, even the misery to give it texture. Had you been born a prince think how much would you have missed.

I would have prefered tedious for the last 2 months tbh.

[DaveG]

if i go tits up im going to ask the goverment to bale me out,then the tax payer can own my round 

 

Good one!!

My positive way forward is to have my canvasser out 5 days a week from this week and to keep up the PMA (positive mental attitude) also keep advertising so that people realise that im here to stay!!!

ps good to see you back too mate!

Dave

[windowwashers]

anyone else have positive ways forward they want to share ?

[peter holley]

yes ! on my last topic! lol

[matt]

getting over my hernia op and just cracking on with it

fitting a van mount in the last week before i return to work, not sure on a hose reel ot just a sub pump into the trolley ?  ?? ?

as for beating the credit crunch, i hope if i do a good job and arrive roughly on time, that should be enough to see me though it